


Finding The One

by Every_Version_Of_Me



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - He's Just Not That Into You (2009) Fusion, Awkward Dates, F/M, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:47:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25511572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Every_Version_Of_Me/pseuds/Every_Version_Of_Me
Summary: Merlin tries to navigate into the dating world only to find someone to help him find his way to the one for him, too bad his guide is oblivious and Merlin is a disaster.He's just not that into you AU at least it's based on it and there is quotes from the movie as well.
Relationships: Gwen/Lancelot (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 53





	Finding The One

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing in this fandom, please be kind, English is not my first language, I'm human I do make mistakes! I hope you enjoy!

Merlin had a date with a guy name Gwaine, it was nice and they have such a nice time that Merlin was sure he was going to call him back. Only he didn't and Gwen told him he probably lost his number. So Merlin went to the little bar they met at and waited to see if Gwaine would show up. He didn't. So Merlin ordered a drink and sighed. This was not his night. 

"Are you waiting for someone?" A blond guy asked, while wipping a glass. 

"Uh, kind of? Not really, I mean... I'm pretty sure Gwaine won't show up." He blurted out. 

"Did Gwaine forget you were supposed to meet? I can give him a call?" The blond man said, making a move toward the phone. 

"NO!" Merlin yelled, then continued at a more appropriate volume. " No, it's fine. We didn't have a date or anything. I was just... hoping to give him his pen back." Merlin said, searching his pocket to get a promotional pen out and show it to the man. 

"Uh. Weird. Are you sure that's Gwaine's?" 

"Yes and I didn't want to just, you know... steal his pen. It might have a emotional value and all that. Who am I to judge?" Merlin said laughing awkwardly. 

The guy chuckled. 

"It's even weirder because his dentist his my father. This isn't his pen, is it?" At Merlin shake of the head, he continued, putting the pen on the counter. " So, let me guess, you had a date, he didn't call, you hoped to meet him here. Gwaine does that all the time. He-" 

"Hey boss, there's a call for you." A guy with wavy strawberry blond hair said. 

"Let me buy you a drink, I swear I will get back to you!" He said, making a waving movement to the man who just interrupted to take care of the drink before disappearing behind a door. 

Merlin spends 20 minutes sipping on his drink, he's just about to get his things and leave when the blond man comes back. 

"You're still here, good." He says, smiling and filling up Merlin's glass. "Gwaine won't call you. I know it's harsh, but he won't. Trust me, if a man wants to call you, he would." 

"Yeah, but my friend said he could've lost my-" 

"Look, if a guy wants to see you again, really wants to, he'll find a way. Once I lost the number of a Laura and visited all the Laura in the phone book, alright? If it's been a week and he hasn't call you, he won't."

"That is cute, what happened with Laura?" 

"Turns out, I was way more drunk than I thought and she wasn't really my type in the end. Anyway, I'm sorry to tell you that, but every friends that will give you a crappy excuses and exemples of people who were in the same situation, but somehow it worked, they're the exception and you are the rule." 

Merlin frowned. "What if I'm the exception?" 

"Always tell yourself you're the rule. Never the exception. Move on. Gwaine won't call." 

Merlin thinks for a moment and then nods. "Thank you, you gave me a lot to think about." He says.

The man takes a pen and write on a paper. "Here. That's my number. You seem like a nice guy, so if you need advice, call me? I'm Arthur." He says, with a small smile. 

Merlin nods and takes the number, saying his own name back.

________

When he comes back home, Merlin spends a lot of time, thinking about what Arthur said. It makes a lot of sense. Going over his dating history, Merlin realises that he may be so desperate for love that people treating him like shit is better than no one. It's not. 

The next day he tells everything to Morganna, Gwen and Lancelot. They're perturbed by the change of heart, but agree with what he says. 

_______

The next night he finds himself back at the bar where Arthur works and somehow a man named Mordred approach him. He's beautiful and nice and they have a nice talk. He asks Merlin for his number and then says he will call him, before leaving the bar. 

Arthur comes to him, not long after and when Merlin reports what happened, he tells him that a guy saying, I'll call you, should not be taken to seriously. If he gives you his number, he's really interested. 

"Why even say, I'll call you, then? That's a complete waste of time." He says, confused. 

"Look, most guys are asshole, I'll call you is just a quick way to be polite and get a woman or a man to shut up without actually being rude." 

"Oh. So you think he won't call?" 

"Maybe he will, I'm just saying, don't check your phone every second of the day." Arthur says with a sympathetic smile. "Hey! I should set you up with my friend, now that I think about it, I think you would be perfect for each other!"  
Merlin sigh, but nods. 

"His name's Percival, he's a gentleman. What about Thursday?" Arthur asks, getting his phone out. 

"Thursday, this week? In two day?"

"Yeah?" 

"Alright." 

__________

Two days later, Merlin is waiting for Percival to show up, only he's already 10 minutes late. Maybe he won't show, but still, every man that enters the bar gives him anxiety and hope at the same time. After 5 other minutes waiting, Arthur shows up saying he's sorry he's late and that Percival won't show up. 

"What? You said he was a gentleman, how can he already not like me?" He says, desperate. 

"Oh, no. No. It's not that I just messed up. I said Tuesday instead of Thursday." Arthur says, chuckling. "But, let's have a drink since were here and all." 

And so they do and it's still a nice night, even if Merlin feels like this is a pity party. Arthur does tell him that he knows so much about this not only because he's a guy himself, but because he's bisexual. Merlin feels like at least this failed date allowed him to learn more about Arthur.

_______

After the three days limit, Mordred still haven't call, but Merlin decided to follow Arthur's advice and went out there and he had a date and the guy did call him back the next day and now they're at his place. Brad is nice and a good kisser and they're having a good time, but then he stops and things become a bit weird. 

"So I'm going to be unreachable for the next week, I'm going on a business trip." He says, then goes back to kissing Merlin. Somehow, there is a warning bell ringing in his head and it sounds weirdly like Arthur saying him to get out of there. So he excuses himself to the toilet and call Arthur. 

"Hello?" Arthur says. 

" Hey, sorry to bother, but I'm with this guy and I need your opinion." 

"Okay wait a sec." Arthur is talking to someone, Merlin clearly hears him say, 'hey, sorry babe, I have to take this.' Then he goes back to Merlin. "Okay, what's up?" 

"I'm at this guy's place and like we're making out, like PG stuff and then he tells me he's going out of town and will be unreachable. What do I do?" 

"Run." 

"What? What if he's really going out of town?" 

"To where? Where would he be unreachable?" 

Merlin takes the time to asks Brad and he hesitates before saying Pittsburgh. "He's going to Pittsburgh."

"RUN." Arthur repeats. 

"What so I'm supposed to run every time someone doesn't like me?" 

"Yes, Merlin, you shouldn't settle for less." Arthur says. 

"There not going to be anyone left." Merlin says, sighing. "Well I'm in his bathroom what do I do?" 

"Just says you have to go, a friend called or whatever." 

So that's what he does.

_______

When he tells this to Morganna and Gwen, they both grin a him. 

"Okay, let me just tell you, Arthur might be into you." Gwen says, smiling. 

"Yeah, I mean there's some signs here. " Morganna says. 

"I guess he could be?" Merlin says hesitantly. 

"Well is he cute?" Morganna says. 

"He is, it's just... I don't know he didn't really seem to be into me?" 

"I mean, come on, Merlin. The guy tells you to get out of a date, to just move on when a guy tell you he will call you, he gave you his number and he did try to set you up on a date, but then the guy never showed and what a coincidence he just showed up..." 

" He did reply to my phone call even if he was with someone yesterday. " 

"Like, someone, someone?" 

"He called them babe." Merlin says. 

"Oh, I'm pretty sure he is into you!" Gwen says, excited. 

________ 

For the next two days, Merlin can't keep Arthur out of his mind, what if he was into Merlin? Merlin was into Arthur, who wouldn't be. 

So when Arthur invites him to a party he's throwing at his house, Merlin jumps on the occasion. 

When he gets there, there is already a lot of people, he's kind of uncomfortable around this much people, but he thinks the end of the night might be worth it. 

_________

When most of the guest are done, Merlin helps cleaning up, but there is a girl there, Arthur called her Vivian if Merlin remember correctly. They're playing video games while Merlin cleans and finish to put everything that goes in the trash in a bag. When he's done, he sits on the couch next to Arthur. 

"Well, I'm done cleaning, it's kind of getting late so..." 

Vivian checks her watch and then gasps. 

"Shit. It's already 3 am? I have to go. Thanks Arthur, it was fun tonight!" She says, before getting her things and going out the door. 

"You didn't have to stay to clean up, you know?" Arthur says, smiling at him. 

"Yeah, but it's alright." There's an awkward pause and Merlin wishes Arthur would just say something."So..." Merlin says and maybe it's cause he drank a bit too much or he's just done waiting, but either way, he's suddenly throwing himself at Arthur and kissing him. 

And Arthur doesn't react for a while, but then he pushes him back gently. 

"What are you doing?" Arthur asks confused, but still kind. 

"I... thought you were into me?" Merlin says and now he feels like an idiot because Arthur clearly isn't. "I'm sorry. I just... Morganna and Gwen told me it was... that you were into me, cause you know there were... signs." 

"Signs? What signs?" 

" Well you... you answered my call even tho you were with someone, you said you were setting me up on a date, but then showed up with some weak excuses and... and you gave me your number and..." Merlin stops himself at Arthur incredulous face. 

"What have I been telling you since I met you?" Arthur says, getting up and pacing toward the kitchen. "If a guy wants you, he will let you know. Why do you take every little thing a guy does and twist it into something else? It's insane!" Arthur says, sighing, he's clearly upset and maybe saying mean thing because he's panicked at the thought of losing a friend. 

"I'd rather be like that than be like you." Merlin says, hurt. 

Arthur turns around, insulted. "Excuse me? What is that suppose to mean?" 

"I may, dissect each little thing and put myself out there too much, but at least it means I still care. Oh and you think you won because women and men are expandable to you? You may not get hurt or make an ass of yourself that way, but you're not falling in love that way either. You have not won. You are alone, Arthur." Taking his things in a haste Merlin gets up and go to the door. "I may do a lot of stupid shit, but I know I'm a lot closer to finding someone than you are." Merlin says, tears in his eyes before getting the fuck out of there. 

_______

After that Gwen spends the night trying to tell him that it's okay and that he will find someone that isn't an ass like Arthur. Morganna tells him she will tear him to pieces if she ever cross his path. It helps a lot. 

The next day, he receives a call from Percival, about meeting in two days to make up for the date he missed because of Arthur. Merlin follows what Arthur used to say and tries to move on, so he accepts.  
_______

The next few days are stressful, but once Merlin meets Percival, it's good. They spend an impeccable night, Arthur was right, Percival is a gentleman and he gives Merlin a really good date. He even accompanies him to his door and give him a kiss on the cheek before going and asking Merlin to call him. 

Merlin agrees. 

__________

Meanwhile. 

Arthur is a mess. He feels like he slept three second before his alarm woke him up and that's a good resume of the last tree days. He's at the bar, doing a meeting, but whenever he says something he's just messing things up and making an ass of himself. He can't concentrate. 

"Is there a reason we're having this meeting?" He asks his employees, who all shakes there heads. 

"Good, then get back to work." He says, he check his phone and frowns. Nothing. He sees Leon at his desk and goes to him. "Did someone call for me?" He asks again. 

"Since you asked me 11 minutes ago? No, not many missed calls." He says, grinning. When he sees Arthur checking his phone again he smirks. "So, who are they?" He asks, knowingly. 

"Who's who?" 

"The special someone you're waiting a call from?" 

"There's no one." 

"Oh, please." Leon says, smiling. " I know strung out and you are strung out."

Arthur laughs." Please." He says, chuckling and backing off to get into his office. Leon follows. 

"No, that's amazing! You can't concentrate, jumping every time you have a notification on you phone, checking your phone a hundred times a day and feeling the need to talk about them in random conversation. It's always the same and it has happens to you, my friend." Leon says, smirking.

Arthur is silent for about four seconds before he sighs and looks away. "Shit." 

"Yeah. Good luck, Buddy." He says, closing the door. 

_______ 

Arthur calls Merlin about 20 minutes after his conversation with Leon. It's the voicemail. 

"Hey, Merlin. It's Arthur, uh... how it's going? Uh, well I was just wondering how you are doing, you know... cause we uh... we haven't talked in a while and I was wondering how you're doing? So, yeah... I was expecting to talk to you... obviously." He laughs a bit, then makes a face at how pathetic that sounds. "But, you're out... I guess. Soooo, just call me, sometimes. Or tonight, I'm around, well... yeah I'll be around. So that's enough, anyway, call me back. It's Arthur, okay. Bye." 

Leon is leaning on the doorway and he's looking at him with what is really close to pity. 

"Dude..." 

"I know. " Arthur says, putting his head in his hands and sighing. 

_________

Merlin just got home and is about to get undressed, but then there a knock. 

"Did you forget something?...." He says while opening the door. Only it's not Percival, it's Arthur. 

"Yeah." Arthur says, while nodding, dumbly.

"Really?" Merlin asks, sarcastic. "What did you forget?"

Arthur search his pocket and gets a pen out. The pen. The pen Merlin has used as an excuse to see Gwaine. 

"This." He says, Merlin scoff, incredulous. 

"So you came all the way here at eleven pm just to give me back a promotional pen?" Merlin says, trying not to smile. 

"Yeah. I thought... I thought I should come up with a really good excuse, to come over here. That's how it's done, isn't it?" He says nervously.

"Sometimes." Merlin says, smiling a little. 

"Look, I can't stop thinking about you. It's a problem, I drive by your place, I call and hang up, I'm turning into..." 

"Me?" Merlin says, smiling, it doesn't stay on his face for long, he puts a mask back on. 

"Yeah." Arthur says, still really nervous. 

There's a long pause until Merlin talks again. 

"A wise person once told me, that if a guy wants to be with someone, he will make it happen, no matter what." He says, intent on continuing, but Arthur cuts him to say a simple 'that's true', Merlin continues.  
"But, when I was hurling my body onto yours, you did not seem to want to make it happens." He says, looking down. 

Arthur takes a step forward. "Okay, here's the thing about that. You were right, I've gotten so use to keeping myself at a distance from everyone, that I- I didn't know what it felt like when I actually fell for someone." Merlin is looking at him, mouth open, but nothing is coming out of his mouth. "I didn't know." Arthur repeats. 

Merlin takes a long time to get his thought in order. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. 

"Look I just went out with your friend Percival and he might be just what I need." Arthur takes a deep breath, ready to argue, but Merlin continues. "No drama. He calls, he does what he said he would." Arthur shakes his head and waits for Merlin to finish his sentence. 

"I could do these things too." Arthur says, getting closer to Merlin. 

"But you didn't! And that same wise person told me that I am the rule, that I have to stop thinking that every guy will change and that I have to stop thinking that-" and suddenly Arthur is kissing him. 

Merlin let's himself get into it, in the end he melts into the kiss and Arthur's hands are on his cheeks and his brain just stops working. When Arthur pulls back, Merlin smile. "I'm the exception." He says, licking his lips. 

Arthur nods. "You're my exception." He agrees before kissing him again. 

_________

Merlin smiles, bringing a bowl of chips while Percival, Gwaine, Will, Morganna, Gwen and Arthur are waiting for him to come back to play his turn at the game they're playing. 

Arthur takes a card and smirks, everyone in the living room except Merlin smiles knowingly, they're playing a riddle game and Merlin is waiting for Arthur to play his turns. 

Arthur points at Will, waiting for Merlin to say his guess. 

"Will?" He asks, frowning, Arthur nods than points Merlin. "Me?" Arthur shakes his head and point to himself. "Oh, You?" Arthur nods and smiles. 

Arthur points to a framed pictures of them at Lancelot and Gwen's wedding that he put on their apartment wall about a week or so ago. 

Merlin stares at the frame for a while, trying to get the right meaning. 

"Will you ...? Will you frame? Will you... Oh will you marry me!" Merlin says smiling at his finding. He turns toward Arthur only to find that he's on one knee, with a little box in hand, a magnificent simple ring in it. 

"Yeah. Merlin, you are the best thing to ever happen in my life, I don't even know why you chose me, but I'm forever grateful that you did. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, so Merlin, will you marry me?"Arthur asks, hopeful. 

Merlin beams in happiness. "Of course I'll marry you, you clotpole!" He says, kissing Arthur while their friend cheer behind them. Merlin and Arthur had never been more happy in their entire life.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed and feel free to leave a kudo or a comment, I always reply!


End file.
